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Thread: Plumbers furnace

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Pitt Gas,PA
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    678

    Smile Plumbers furnace

    I'm grinning like a mule eating briars, picked up two propane tanks and a pot holder that mounts on one of the tanks. Also have the hose and hand held torch they used to warm up cast iron pipe. Found these at a old hardware store going out of business. $5.00 bucks!!!! Put it to use right away,and it melts lead fast. When I melt all the lead I have. I will rent it out.:

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Morgan Astorbilt's Avatar
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    Sep 2007
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    Golden Valley, NC
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    Jim, Good find!! I hope you don't have trouble filling those tanks, if they're the ones with a large threaded ring for the burner to screw on to, as part of the valve. Here, in NC, they won't fill any 25lb. tanks that don't have the new safety valve with the auto shut off if there's a leak. They can tell by the three spoke knob. Don't know if it's a state or federal law, and only for BBQ tanks. I think the large tanks used for home heating, and fork lift engines, etc., are exempt, so maybe yours will be also.
    Morgan

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    timkelley's Avatar
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    Dec 2007
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    On the Little Salmon River
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    The cause is a Federal law from 5 or 6 years ago. All is not lost, however, any licensed propane dealer can screw in one of the new valves, check the tank, and re-certify your old tank. The other option is to go buy new 20 or 30 pound tanks.
    Thanx, Tim Kelley
    SFC US Army (Ret)
    NRA Life

    Still have noclue!

    "IN GOD WE TRUST"

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Morgan Astorbilt's Avatar
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    Sep 2007
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    Tim, I believe, if it's like my old plumber's furnace, the tanks have a special valve with a threaded portion 3-1/2'-4" dia. for the cast iron burner to sit on. The burner screws down vertically, the gas opening being in the top, and the tank becomes the base.
    I swapped out that furnace for the one I use now(with a hose), because it's more stable, when on soil, and also, so I could also use my BBQ tanks, and my 100lb. House cooking tanks.
    Morgan

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Pitt Gas,PA
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    Morgan is right about the size where the burner hooks up to the tank.The guy who inspected the tank and filled it asked me what I was using it for and I told him,to melt lead. I live in SW, PA. I have not used much of the propane for the amount of lead I melted. I think it was $14.00 to fill it up.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Morgan Astorbilt's Avatar
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    Great news Jim, I'd guess, by his question, that the new regs only pertain to home(BBQ) use. I get two 100lb. tanks delivered behind my house , for cooking, and they've still got the same old valves. They're below my back deck, and years ago, I ran a "T" off the line, running to my BBQ grill, so I wouldn't have to bother with the small tanks. Made for an interesting experience once, when we forgot to shut the grill off!
    I've still got a full 25lb. tank or two for smelting and heat treating(blowtorch). When they need filling, I'll bring them down with the blow torch attached, so they can see I'm not using them to BBQ. If I can't get them filled, I'll probably change the valves, or go to the 50lb? size they use for fork lifts.
    Morgan

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    29

    that's great!

    Around here The will not fill my old tank like that even though I told them it was for a plumbers lead pot, me thinks they just wanted to be a pain or just wanted to sell a new pot...lol...

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Freightman's Avatar
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    Oct 2006
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    Canyon, Texas
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    3,401
    I just exchange mine for my BBQ and melter for a new one at Wally World same price as me driving 20 miles round trip to have it refilled and it is a 2 mile trip. They will also exchange the old type for like $4 extra and then you will have a new type, when all this happened I picked up a couple of old type in the ally that people had thrown out and now have a couple of extras.
    It is maddening to be coking my steak and run out of fuel.

  9. #9
    Boolit Bub SpaceGlocker's Avatar
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    May 2008
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    54
    I've got one of these too....I cannot get the local Propane companies to sell me a tank that will work for it.....any ideas?

  10. #10
    Boolit Master at Heaven's Range 2010

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    MANNING SC
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    1,551

    melters

    I had one of those but changed to the newer model that sits on the ground.If you accidently tip it things get interesting,you will never be able to jump that fast again.brace the unit so it cant tip.agri supply has a "turkey cooker" with a 12 qt cast kettle for $79 dollars that sits close to ground.
    well worth the money and I am cheap.
    an older supply house may have the valves.especialy in the north.
    WILDCATT

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check